The Return of Araneae: The Spider of Gotham
by Padme4000
Summary: Sequel to Zero to Hero. After Three years in Gotham, life for Ann changes drastically. She once again puts on the suit. Araneae Returns. But most of all does that hole in her heart get filled?
1. Back in New York

The Return of Araneae: The Spider of Gotham

Disclaimer: I own only Ann/Araneae and the addition to the plot. I do not own anything in DC Comics or Marvel Comics.

Summary: Sequel to Zero to Hero. After Three years in Gotham, life for Ann changes drastically. She once again puts on the suit. Araneae Returns. But most of all does that hole in her heart get filled?

--

She walked Melanie to the door while saying "Take your holiday you need the rest otherwise you are going to cause yourself more stress and Wayne Enterprises doesn't need an overly stressed secretary."

"Yeah I think I will take my holiday. Thanks again Ann."

Ann watched Melanie leave then turned back into her office which had in one corner couches and a TV, then in the other corner her desk and finally her cabinets for files on the regular people she had appointments with. Otherwise the files went downstairs where all the files went.

When she first started everyone wanted to meet her but now after three years it was only a select few who wanted to see her, the others where sent to her or she asked them to come to her for their three month stability check. Basically she talked to them to see if they needed time off or if they were unstable for the job.

Unstable for the job was the nice way of putting it, basically if Ann believed someone was unstable for the job they where then sacked, given three month pay to compensate them while they looked for another job or another way to bring money into their household.

Ann was about to sit down when someone knocked on her door, sighing she grabbed a bag from the couch then answered the door giving it to a sheepish looking Melanie who left her bag in the room nearly every session that she had with Ann.

Closing the door Ann went to her desk brought up Melanie's files then did a report which she sent to Earl saying that Melanie needed a paid vacation for stress relief and the fact Melanie hasn't took a day off for over a year.

Upon finishing the report and sending it to Earl Ann got up called a cab then made her way down stairs where she exited Wayne Enterprises and entered her cab after waiting for ten minutes for it to arrive. On the drive to her house Ann looked out of the window and spotted a few times people getting mugged in alley ways.

Gotham needed a hero or something to close to it. The reason she hadn't become Araneae since arriving in Gotham was simple really. First it would be obvious she was Araneae if the hero arrived the same day as her and left New York the same day as her. Second she needed to settle into Gotham life. Third her job was high on her priority list especially when she talked to criminals for the police force.

She trusted the police force in Gotham as much as she trusted them in New York in fact she trusted them less than the NYPD.

One person she trusted completely in the whole of the Gotham's police, that was Lieutenant Jim Gordon. In fact over the three years he became one of her only friends including Melanie of course and Lucius Fox the man who got her the job in the first place.

Before her mind could wander anymore the cabbie told her that they had arrived and looking out of the window she noticed he was right there stood her home smiling she paid the man then went inside her house placing her jacket on the coat hangar, then she proceeded up the stairs straight through her room and into her shower where she washed her stress away.

Coming out in a towel her eyes wandered to a painting on the wall gently taking it down she frowned at the safe then turned it three right, seven left, six right, one left then opened it.

Seeing the black and midnight blue material she was about to take it out when she all of a sudden slammed the safe shut and placed the painting back on the wall. Getting changed she went out into her back garden and walked to the edge of her land where her pond lay. Sitting down she let the tears fall which she always ended up doing when she went near her second skin. Or at least it use to be her second skin back in New York.

Ever since…

A choked sob escaped her lips.

She was meant to help people but every time she so much as reached to take the suit she froze for a split second before shutting it out of her life again, then came the tears and the well known heartache that she had felt ever since…

She couldn't even think of it anymore when she got herself into an emotional state.

Every day she helped people with their problems when she has problems of her own. Gotham needed Araneae in fact it needed her three years ago but every time she tried to bring that part of her life back she shut it out again.

Wiping her eyes she caught her reflection in the pond looking back at her. Her eyes where red and puffy from crying and not filled with fire as they use to be back in New York.

Her hair was one of the things that had changed since New York instead of the black with red streaks, it was medium brown with blonde streaks. In fact she changed her hair before going to Gotham so no one in Gotham had seen her with her black and red streaked hair like it was back in New York.

Ann slowly stood up and turned back towards her house and just looked at it and thought it was weird that her life was complete but not complete at the same time.

She has the job of her dreams.

Dream house with the dream land around it.

Friends not many mind you but friends nonetheless.

But then there was that hole in her heart that had been empty since…

She started walking towards the house when the winds began to pick up and her foot stood on something, looking down she spotted a white rose picking it up tenderly she looked back towards her house, then the wind tussled with her hair.

She closed her eyes then she whispered words that she hadn't said in along time "I miss you Harry and my love for you will never go." The wind played with her hair once more before it died down completely.

Her eyes opened slowly and now if you looked at them you would see a fire beginning to burn once again. She ran into the house with the rose placed it in a vase next to her bed then opened her safe and took the suit out held it in her hands and said as if talking to an old friend "I've missed you and I'll never let you go again."


	2. The Other Side of the Coin

The next few days Ann got up two hours earlier than usual and began doing a thorough workout in her basement which had been created into a gym.

For a few weeks she kept doing her new routine until one day when she was about to leave work at the time she had been leaving for a year now someone knocked on her door.

Ann put a hand to her head looked at the door when the person knocked again, opening it she was about to sigh when her eyes fell upon someone she hadn't met before and she would remember him since he was quite handsome.

For a split second she frowned before she put her 'mask' on where no emotions showed on her face but the mysterious guy had seen the frown "Ann Johnson?"

Ann nodded "Yes?"

"I was sent here to talk to you to make sure I am mentally stable after my seven year absence and apparent death." He had a little twinkle in his eyes when he said this and Ann spotted it.

Stepping out of the way she motioned for him to enter the room. Closing the door she went to her computer and asked "Name?"

"Bruce Wayne."

If she had guessed who he was she wouldn't have come up with that so she looked at him to see if he was lying then shrugged typing it in after the file came up she motioned for him to sit down on one of the couches.

Noticing his look Ann smiled "You really don't want to be here do you Mr Wayne?"

Bruce smiled "Is it that obvious? Also please call me Bruce."

"Very obvious actually and call me Ann." Leaning back she asked "So want to talk about anything?"

Frowning slightly Bruce says "Aren't you meant to be asking me questions not having a normal conversation with me."

Standing up Ann went and stood in front of where Bruce sat "I rather have conversations rather than boring questions. I still get the answers I need for my reports through a conversation. As I will read your body language and listen to your tone of voice and see if and how you react to certain subjects."

Bruce nodded "I like you better than the other psychiatrist who use to work here."

"Thank You." Sitting down opposite him she asked "So what would you like to talk about?"

"You?"

The question caught Ann off guard and her emotions where displayed like an open book "You can choose anything to talk about and you want to talk about me."

"Well if I am to come and talk to you regularly then I would like to know the person I am talking to." Ann watched him very closely when he said this and noticed the fake 'play boy' persona almost instantly and wondered why he wanted to act like that.

"Look up my name and you should find everything you want to know about me."

She was being defensive and for a good reason she didn't want to be 'friends' with Bruce she wanted more and that scared her since she only just met him. Maybe it was the fact he was wearing a proverbial mask and so was she in a way, what would happen if she knew Bruce would wear more than one mask and that one was someone who protected people with a different name like Araneae.

"I want you tell me and if I look you up I will get other people's opinion when I want to make my own."

Nodding Ann smiled tightly "After High School I was kicked out of my home by my parents because I didn't agree to marry a guy who was a lot older than me and rich. I moved to New York where I got a job in the Science Museum…"

"What were you during High School?"

Ann frowned not realising it was like they had switched places her the 'patient' and him the psychiatrist "A loner, a geek and most of all a nobody."

Bruce smiled having noticed the fact they had practically switched places "What changed?"

Ann made eye contact and if Bruce had been stood up he was would have needed to sit down by the mere strength of her gaze in that second "I was on the receiving end of a stab wound so I joined a self defence class. Then I met the person who changed me forever…" Bruce was now watching her very closely noticing the look in her eyes which was a mix of pain, grief and a familiar spark.

"I… I fell in love. My father killed my mother I killed him, I went to jail for a year nearly got raped countless times. The man I fell in love with got in an accident where his face and other parts got severely burned." Bruce could see the pain and grief becoming stronger and was going to stop her but saw that she needed to vent. He could tell no one had ever thought that the psychiatrist needed to talk as well as listen, I mean if they talked to her like he was doing now they would see she was a person as much as them and needed help just as much she gave help.

"Then trying to help New York he died the same day I got the job offer, from here actually. A few weeks later after the funeral I moved into my new home which isn't far from yours actually and now here I am talking to you." Ann managed not to cry but Bruce could tell she wanted to. Smiling Ann added "Thank You for asking me that I haven't had the chance to talk like that like everyone that talks to me does and I've needed that for three years now."

Bruce smiled "I didn't expect you to say so much but I could tell you needed to vent."

Ann laughed while nodding "So what brings the dead back to Gotham?"

It was Bruce's turn to laugh "I wanted to come back and I knew it was time for me to come back."

Hearing the tone in his voice that was saying a lot more than he actually was Ann smiled a sweet smile "Your tone to me is practically screaming that what you meant to say was 'Gotham Needs you' as much as it needs a hero or something close to it."

"Does Gotham really need a hero?"

Play boy cockiness was now rearing its head "Gotham needs someone to look up to, who can help against the crimes that happen every day and everywhere you look."

"Aren't the police doing enough?"

Ann glared at Bruce not caring that he was Bruce Wayne "Gotham needs a lot more help than the police force since its corrupted. The only person I trust among the police is Lieutenant Jim Gordon now if you ask me that is bloody pathetic only being able to trust one among many."

Bruce leant forward "Maybe you don't trust them because of your time in jail."

In one swift movement Ann was stood right in front of Bruce looking down until he stood up but still she held her place "I deserved that time in jail and I don't regret what I did but I have done everything I have since then to help people. So don't you dare start judging me when you don't know me at all."

"You're right I don't know you but I know a lot from what you said and how you said it with both your body language and your tone of voice."

Ann grounded her teeth then turned and walked to her computer gripping the chair to the point it started breaking slowly "I'm not judging you and yet you're judging me." Looking at him he froze seeing the understanding in her eyes "I know what it's like pretending to be someone you're not. Placing yourself behind a mask that not many people can see as a mask. I've worn my mask for three years and more than likely longer because of the things I have had to witness what's your excuse?"

Bruce stepped forward "When I was a kid my parents where shot dead in front of my eyes."

Ann laughed "I feel sorry for you seriously I do but at least they loved you. My mother apparently did and I bet she did but my father… all he thought of me was a means to get more money." Pausing for a second she looked in his eyes "Look Bruce we both wear masks me one that makes almost everyone think my life is perfect and I am perfectly alright. Yours is the play boy mask which is hiding who you really are which I bet is a compassionate guy who wants to help Gotham more than just giving it money."

They both then thought the exact same thing _Soon that won't be the only mask I wear. _However Ann's had wore hers once before but for Bruce it would be his first time wearing the mask of a protector.

"Compassionate?"

The sexy smug grin he had on his face made Ann want to punch him at the same time as kiss him "Get Out."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me get out. Look Bruce I've got enough for my report and I want you to leave." Bruce nodded but didn't move so Ann just glared.

"Why do we wear masks?"

Ann stopped glaring and answered him hoping that would get him to leave "I suppose we wear masks to protect our selves because if someone truly knows us they get close to us and when that happens its easy to feel that pain again when something goes wrong."

"We're afraid?"

Ann shook her head disagreeing completely "No not afraid just wary of feeling that pain again." Her hands shook slightly and Ann asked in a near whisper "Bruce please leave."

Bruce stayed where he was "Why?"

_I'm starting to relate to you and you know me better than anyone has known me for years. It's scaring me that someone is starting to know me as much as Harry did and that someone has only just met me. _Instead of saying what her heart wanted to say she said "It's complicated."

"Then explain in more detail why you want me to leave?"

Ann looked away "I can't Bruce. I can't explain because I don't even know all the reasons why I want you to leave apart from the fact you're bugging me slightly with the obnoxious play boy routine."

Bruce walked to the door then before opening the door said "I'll wait for the whole answer while you figure it out." With that he left and closed the door.

Ann quickly wrote the report and went home where she lay on her bed and let the tears of confusion and grief freely flow.

Would the days get any easier? Will her grief turn into something else? Will the confusion finally end? Only time would tell and Ann knew that but for once wished someone would give her the answers like she gives others.


	3. The Masked Crusaders Entrance

After getting up Ann went straight to her gym where she did a half hour workout mainly to release her frustrations so she wouldn't release it on criminals, walking back to her room she had a quick shower then put on the suit.

Once it was on, it felt like she had never been away from it, it was once again her second skin, her way to help more physically than helping people with words. As Araneae she was practically the opposite of what she was as the Psychiatrist.

Stepping out into the dark of night Ann made her way into Gotham but more specifically the Narrows. There she stopped three rapes and even managed to save a cop from being killed by a bullet, she didn't even recognise him until he asked "Who are you?"

Turning around in shock which he luckily couldn't see she said in a sultry yet dark voice "Araneae the Spider of Gotham." Before leaving she decided to say "Look into New York you'll find more about me." With that she swung away not believing that as Araneae she just saved Jim Gordon's life and multiple other people from rape. Swinging around Gotham she found that she did more in Gotham than she ever did in New York. The crime rate in New York may be bad but here in Gotham it was much worse, even to the point where even the police where corrupted.

Arriving at another crime she found someone already dealing with it and it seemed to be a bat she couldn't help but laugh inwardly _At least mine has some importance to it. I bet his D.N.A hasn't been altered with Bat D.N.A like I have with Spider D.N.A._

Jumping down she decided to help, landing behind the other masked crusader, dodging him trying to hit her and the guy she was aiming to hit she said "I'm on your side you know… fighting crime."

When he didn't try to hit her again she turned to the criminal and smiled "Well hello there." The man stopped confused when all of a sudden the gun in his hand went flying seeming to be attached to web. Looking forward he couldn't find her and felt someone tap his shoulder turning around he saw no one but when he looked up he actually screamed "I find it funny when you people scream." Grabbing him she attached him to the wall in a web, grinning the whole time.

She turned to see someone pointing a gun at the bat and quickly attached her web to him dragging him back causing the bullet to go past him and hit the other man who was going to hit him. Ann quickly tied them both up in web making sure the web on the guy who got shot was stopping the flow of blood out of the wound "Be thankful I'm not heartless."

While saying that she couldn't react quick enough when the bat repaid the favour and knocked her out of the way of a bullet, rolling with her until they stopped him ending up on top of her "You know when I pictured myself fighting crime again it wasn't like this." She motioned between them then grinned when he got up to fight the other thugs.

Hearing his voice caused a shiver to run down her spine with its huskiness to it "Again?"

Laughing she blocked someone from hitting her and getting to the bat "Yes again and it seems to me you're a man or bat of little words." Frowning she said as an after thought "Makes sense really."

Two thugs decided they could take her while she talked, going on either side of her when they both went to stab her she rolled forwards making the two thugs stab each other. Then a thug asked either of them "Who are you?"

"Araneae look me up in the New York Papers."

"I'm Batman." To say that their answers where different would be an understatement, Ann decided to make them know that she isn't new to what she's doing and the Bat just said two simple words as an introduction.

Once everything was sorted Ann turned to Batman "Nice name." Then left swinging away from the scene before the police arrived, deciding it would be better to not get too much attention in one night. Upon arriving home she had a long shower to get rid of aches and pains of the night finding bruises on her legs and chest as well as her back where some people got some lucky punches when they ganged up on her.

Lying in bed she couldn't help but think about Batman and especially when he knocked her out of the way of a bullet rolling with her until they stopped and he ending up on top of her. It made her blush thinking about it and now that she had the time to properly think about it she would say that the feelings it produced where something she never had felt before.

Could it be that Araneae lusted after Batman while Ann was getting close to Bruce who where in fact one in the same, how did Bruce react to what happened that day? Well you're about to find out.

- Bruce POV -

Psychiatrist.

She wasn't what he expected at all and he still found it amusing that he had managed to reverse their roles her becoming more the patient than the Psychiatrist and him the Psychiatrist instead of the patient.

When Bruce arrived home he entered the mansion greeted Alfred who in return greeted him then went to his room where he showered and prepared for a date he would have that night before the masked crusader would be born in Gotham. Once he had gotten ready he went to a computer and searched everything about Ann to the point he began reading her columns that she wrote for the Daily Bugle in New York.

"Busy Master Wayne?"

"Yes Alfred, I'm researching the Psychiatrist from Wayne Enterprises. Ann Johnson."

What Alfred said next shocked Bruce "Ah yes our next door neighbour or at least the closest we can get to having a next door neighbour." An amused smile lit up Alfred's face when he said that.

Turning to Alfred he asked "She lives near here?"

Pointing to the computer Alfred said "Can't you find that out on there Master Wayne?"

Laughing he nodded "I could Alfred but you just gave me the information." Turning back to the computer he asked "Did you know she use to write for the Daily Bugle Alfred?"

Nodding Alfred left for a second then returned with newspapers and a lot of them "When she did, I got every issue."

Bruce looked at the papers then Alfred "If I didn't know better I would say you admired her work Alfred." Taking a paper he looked at the front cover to find a picture of New York's own masked crusader Spiderman but when he looked at the paper below he found what seemed to be a second "Araneae?" When away from Gotham he had heard a few things about Spiderman but he hadn't had the good fortune to hear about Araneae.

"Yes Master Wayne, Araneae was New York's female masked crusader." Smiling he continued "She began on her own then began to work with Spiderman." The smile dropped a bit "New York hasn't seen her for a very long time. They think someone managed to kill her before she could be more of a nuisance. I however believe life became more important to her than helping with the struggle against crime." Alfred didn't know how right he was.

Bruce nodded taking all of the information in then smiled "Who wrote about her and Spiderman Alfred?" He asked the question even though he had a hunch on who had written the articles.

"Miss Ann Johnson, Master Wayne." What Alfred had said just proved his hunch however he couldn't carry on the conversation because it was time he picked up his dates. Yes dates he had a date with two swimsuit models which was also a dinner with Earle his wife and a few others he couldn't remember.

That Night he managed to stop Falcone's shipment as Batman then stumbled upon a gang who was were dealing drugs and decided to deal with them as well. While dealing with a thug he felt someone land behind him and went to hit the person just to find the person dodge the hit and say "I'm on your side you know… fighting crime." He couldn't see her at the moment but it was obvious it was a woman from the sultry voice that sounded a bit dark to his ears also. Once he realised what she said was indeed true he didn't attack her.

"Well hello there." Bruce couldn't believe the woman had said that when he turned slightly he saw the gun in the man's hand that she was up against go flying seeming to be attached to a web.

He saw her hanging above the man with what seemed to be web not that long after the gun went flying "I find it funny when you people scream." Grabbing the man she attached him to the wall in a web grinning the whole time. It wasn't her grinning that distracted him but the fact she was actually using something that looked like web and seemed to work like spider webs. Having been distracted enough he turned to a thug who came up next to him and he saw out the corner of his eye another with a gun but before he could do anything he was dragged back causing the bullet to go past him and hit the other man who was going to hit him. The woman quickly tied them both up in web making sure the web on the guy who got shot was stopping the flow of blood out of the wound "Be thankful I'm not heartless."

Bruce noticed this and he saw that the web seemed to come from her wrist then he saw someone about to shoot her so he ran into her, getting a hold of her, knocking her and him out of the way of the bullet and he ended up rolling with her until they stopped him ending up on top of her "You know when I pictured myself fighting crime again it wasn't like this." She motioned between them then grinned when he got up to fight the other thugs. Bruce couldn't help but think who she was and the points where joining rather quickly so he asked "Again?"

He heard her laugh and couldn't help but think the laugh was different to how she spoke "Yes again and it seems to me you're a man or bat of little words." He raised an eyebrow from under his mask wondering how she could talk like that without laughing "Makes sense really."

He saw her dodge from being stabbed and couldn't help but think she had good reflexes and even he would have had problems dodging that he knocked out two more thugs and went onto the third who asked him at the same time another asked her "Who are you?"

"Araneae look me up in the New York Papers." He finally got his answers and where his mind was going was the answer she was in fact Araneae, it seemed that Alfred was right as that was the only explanation as to why Araneae was missing for so long then all of a sudden appears in Gotham.

"I'm Batman." While she told them she wasn't knew to the game he just decided to introduce himself, so criminals would learn his name and fear it to the point they wouldn't commit crimes, hopefully.

Once everything was sorted she turned to Bruce saying "Nice name." Then she left swinging away from the scene before the police arrived and he deciding it would be better to not get too much attention in one night left as well as he had got two sets of people aware that he was in Gotham to stop crime without the boundaries that the police had. Upon arriving home he had a long shower to get rid of aches and pains of the night finding bruises on his chest and back where some people got in some punches but if it wasn't for Araneae and he hated to admit he could have died that night from over confidence.

Sitting at his computer he couldn't help but think about Araneae and especially when he knocked her out of the way of a bullet rolling with her until they stopped and he ended up on top of her. In that moment as Batman he lusted after Araneae after feeling her body against his even if it was through the suit, but deep down he couldn't help but feel something more than lust, he felt respect for her as she saved his life when she didn't have to, when she didn't know who he was. Yes he had repaid the favour but she was the first to act, she could have gone away once she saw him dealing with the thugs but she didn't, she decided to help.

Maybe it was because she was use to working with someone like she had with Spiderman. Now looking at his computer he decided to write down theories how she could shoot web out of her wrists and react as quick as she did.

Both of them did things that where so similar and didn't realise it at all, except the fact they wore proverbial masks in front of people as Ann and Bruce. What Bruce didn't realise was that Ann when finding out about Spiderman did the same thing he had just started doing, she created theories on how it was possible much like he had just done about her.

Alfred walked up to Bruce and asked "How was it Master Bruce?"

"I met Araneae Alfred." His butler and friends eyes widened so he told him everything that happened that night including his feelings towards the situation of Araneae, he also told him what happened that day with Ann as well thinking Alfred would like to know since he read her columns.

"If you don't mind me saying Master Bruce but I believe if it is something you can grasp then try to grasp it." Putting a hand on Bruce's shoulder he carried on "What about Miss Johnson?"

"What about her Alfred?"

Smiling Alfred told Bruce his opinion "She seems to be a nice woman who sees through your playboy mask, so you would not have to act in front of her. Also she would be able to help you with any questions that you may have about Gotham's criminals."

Bruce smiled nodding at everything Alfred had just said "Yes she is a nice woman." However just as he was thinking about anything progressing past a friendship with Ann his eyes fell on a picture of Rachel Dawes.

Will Araneae choose to act on her lust for Batman, will Batman act on his or won't he due to his respect for her. But something no one can deny is that both their proverbial masks and their crusader masks where getting emotions towards the other. Would it grow into something more or would Bruce's feelings for Rachel Dawes get in the way of something ever happening between Araneae and Batman or even between Ann and Bruce.


	4. Mistake?

Ann arrived to work three hours early after having woke up and having not been able to get back to sleep. Once in her office she sat down on a couch putting her feet up, sipping at her coffee while she read her paper. Now if someone entered they would ask why she was reading the paper from back to front her answer would be 'It means, I save best till last.'

The closer she got to the front, the more eager she was to see the headline. Turning the page she found a picture of Falcone strapped to a light in the shape of a "Bat."

Just then the door opened and she heard a voice say "Bat?"

Ann looked up at Bruce Wayne and sighed then threw him the paper being mindful to not spill her brew. He looked at it the sat down having already closed the door, he looked at her feet and raised an eyebrow "Comfy?"

"Yes as a matter of fact." Before he could say something she carried on "I am not meant to be in work for another three hours so I thought I would catch up on the news."

"Couldn't sleep?"

Ann only then realised he was going away from the Bat topic "No I couldn't, anyway what do you think of the bat?"

Bruce put his feet up obviously wanting a reaction from her but she gave him none so he answered her question "He doesn't abide by the law like he should and therefore should be treated as any other criminal."

"Araneae?"

Bruce blinked twice then asked "Who?"

Leaning forward as much as she could without falling off the couch she spoke with knowledge clearly in her voice "You know exactly who I am talking about otherwise you wouldn't have paused for so long, also your blinking twice tells me you clearly wasn't expecting the question, hence the reason for saying 'who?'" When she said 'who' she imitated the tone of his voice and nearly the deepness of it.

He laughed raising his hands "You're really good at what you do you know that?"

Ann glared "Thanks." Looking at the newspaper she asked "So what do you think of Araneae?"

"The same as the bat." He frowned "Why do you call him the bat when it describes him as Batman in the article."

Ann shrugged "Just seemed appropriate."

Bruce placed his feat on the ground then leant forward saying "So what do you think of the 'bat' and this Araneae."

"If you've read my New York columns you will know my opinion on Araneae. The bat however I think does less damage than Araneae." Ann watched Bruce's face and saw confusion enter his eyes for a second before he masked it over with nonchalance.

"Less damage?"

Ann paused remembering the darkness within her that still somewhere deep down she craved to be free, the darkness that felt so thrilling to delve into, the darkness that everybody has deep within them. "You could say, if you thought of her as a hero there was a time she became a villain." Out the window Ann saw a bird fly by "The light that everyone saw and every girl in New York looked up to was extinguished and in its place was a dark abyss. Everyone has that darkness and light in them, it's just the case if they use it."

Now Bruce decided to try his luck or at least Ann thought he did "You're a perfect example."

She stood up and walked to the window watching the birds fly in the sky "As I said we all have it in us." Turning to Bruce she asked "Have you ever felt that darkness within you after your parents died?" He didn't answer but the sudden stiffness of his muscles told her what she wanted to know "You and I aren't much different Bruce Wayne, you would do well to remember that the next time you ask something so bloody personal."

--- Bruce's POV of the conversation ---

Bruce decided when he arrived early to talk to Ann when he opened her door he heard her say "Bat."

Walking in the room he asked "Bat?"

When she threw him the paper he already knew what was on the front so when he sat down he placed it on the table, he then looked at her feet on the table, looking back at her he asked "Comfy?" with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes as a matter of fact." Bruce was about to say something like she should be doing some work but before he could say something she carried on "I am not meant to be in work for another three hours so I thought I would catch up on the news."

Deciding to go away from the topic of the bat as she called his other identity he asked "Couldn't sleep?"

Obviously she saw that he was trying to get away from the topic she so wanted answers from because as soon as she answered him she stirred the conversation back to Batman "No I couldn't, anyway what do you think of the bat?"

Bruce put his feet up wanting a reaction from her, he also wanted to see if she would place her feet on the floor because he put his up, but she gave him no reaction so he answered her question "He doesn't abide by the law like he should and therefore should be treated as any other criminal." Bruce was getting use to referring to Batman as such but saying to Ann sounded as if he was lying more than he actually was.

"Araneae?"

Bruce blinked twice not expecting Ann to ask about the female crusader then asked "Who?" Even though he asked the question his mind was instantly on what happened the night before and he felt her body against his as if it was happening again, him saving her from a bullet and ending up on top of her.

When she leant forward Bruce couldn't help but notice her cleavage then she spoke with knowledge clearly in her voice and this brought his eyes back to hers and he was surprised she hadn't noticed his eyes stray to her cleavage "You know exactly who I am talking about otherwise you wouldn't have paused for so long, also your blinking twice tells me you clearly wasn't expecting the question, hence the reason for saying 'who?'" He found the fact she imitated his voice amusing and frustrating at the same time, he didn't think what Alfred said was right anymore but somewhere in him he liked their banter.

He laughed raising his hands "You're really good at what you do you know that?" Compliments go a long way with women and he knew that hence the reason he gave her one. She glared but that wasn't what got his attention it was the blush that touched her cheeks.

"Thanks." She looked at the newspaper but Bruce figured she wasn't really looking at it but actually thinking about what to say "So what do you think of Araneae?"

"The same as the bat." He frowned deciding to ask why she called Batman the Bat, since this was the main thing that was irritating him "Why do you call him the bat when it describes him as Batman in the article."

Ann shrugged "Just seemed appropriate."

Bruce placed his feat on the ground then leant forward saying "So what do you think of the 'bat' and this Araneae." He really wanted to know her real opinion not really believing what she wrote about Araneae for The Daily Bugle was her real opinion.

"If you've read my New York columns you will know my opinion on Araneae. The bat however I think does less damage than Araneae."

Bruce would never admit that her sentence confused him but it did for the main reason being "Less damage?"

Bruce watched her while she thought about her answer or what he thought was her thinking about her answer "You could say, if you thought of her as a hero there was a time she became a villain." Bruce looked at the bird fly by when Ann looked at it, in some ways it made total sense with what she next said "The light that everyone saw and every girl in New York looked up to was extinguished and in its place was a dark abyss. Everyone has that darkness and light in them, it's just the case if they use it."

Bruce commented without even thinking, not really wanting to say it since he knew in the long run it would upset her "You're a perfect example." He winced when he realised he had said it out loud and wanted to retract it, but knew he could not.

She stood up and walked to the window watching the birds fly in the sky and the whole time Bruce watched her seeing her face take on a lot of emotions for a split second, since it happened so quick he could not decipher any of the emotions that crossed her face but he thought one of them was grief "As I said we all have it in us." Turning to Bruce she asked "Have you ever felt that darkness within you after your parents died?" Bruce didn't answer but his body stiffened, she had a point and he knew it but he didn't like being reminded of that "You and I aren't much different Bruce Wayne, you would do well to remember that the next time you ask something so bloody personal."

When she turned around he stood up and turned her around, holding her forearms "Don't ever mention my parents like that again."

Bruce stopped when he saw tears actually enter her eyes, he never thought her to be the type to cry but then again everyone has to cry once in awhile "Then never mention mine." He was about to say 'I didn't' when he realised in an undertone sort of way he had mentioned her parents.

He let her arms go and watched her rub them "I'm sorry."

She looked away wiping her tears from her eyes not wanting them to flow down her cheeks, he understood she wanted to seem strong especially since she was a Psychiatrist "I'm sorry for everything."

He heard her say it but he wasn't sure if she was talking to him or about things she had done "Everything?"

She looked at him and looked really tempted to tell him something but apparently thought better of it "I'm meant to act professional and I haven't, I said something I shouldn't have. Therefore I am sorry for everything."

--- Ann's POV ---

Ann knew what she just said was a loud of horse bollocks, she was sorry for every wrong she had committed as Araneae and inside she vowed to never let the darkness rule her heart again. It was shame that vow had a very good chance of being broken.

Hearing a knock at her door she grabbed some papers off her desk then went and opened it, seeing Earl she passed him the papers noticing his eyes looking at Bruce "They are all my reports this week on who needs vacation time, who needs letting go and who needs to be acknowledged more."

Earl looked at some of them and upon seeing Bruce's name looked at Bruce who was now looking at him then to Ann "Why do you think Bruce Wayne deserves acknowledgment when he has done nothing to be acknowledged of."

Ann kept a calm face trying to glare or blush feeling Bruce's eyes on her "He may have done nothing in your eyes but he has to every other person in this building, everyone I have talked to are the happiest I have seen them with Bruce being back. There's good reason as well, he is a nice man and knows what he's doing which he needs to be acknowledged for instead of being practically walked upon like a dirty towel." Ann blushed slightly realising what she said and she knew she may have gone too far.

Earl just looked at her for a second then looked at Bruce "It seems you have done better work than I believed Bruce." He turned then left but not before saying to Ann "I would watch how you talk to me next time Miss Johnson."

Seeing him not turn around she flipped him off then turned to find Bruce staring at her "What?" She closed the door and went to sit down but stopped looking at Bruce again and this time when she said "What?" It was in a slightly higher pitch of voice.

--- Bruce's POV ---

Bruce didn't quite believe what he was hearing since when Ann was talking about him in that moment it was said with a lot of passion meaning she believed every word she was saying, also he got cautioned for what she said which he had to admit was very amusing to listen to. Not her being cautioned but the dirty towel comment directed at Earl.

When she asked him "What?" for the second time he gave her one of his most charming smiles which he was glad made her stop and stare at him, which then led to her blushing when she realised she was staring "I didn't know you thought so passionately about me."

He smiled when she was lost for words, however she managed to say something but not quite what he was expecting "If I think so passionately about you then I would do this." He saw her pause and was about to ask 'Do what?' when she stepped towards him quicker than he could react to and kissed him right on the lips.

He felt the heat of her body and smelt her hair, which smelt of roses, he deepened the kiss after the initial shock wore off as he definitely did not expect her to kiss him or even think about him like that.

Then all of a sudden the kiss stopped just as it was getting really heated, she grabbed her bag and left before he could even stop her. He stood there wondering why she left when he remembered what she told him about Harry Osborne.

He stayed for a few minutes then left closing the door behind him, on the way down the lift, down to Applied Sciences all Bruce could think about was Ann and that kiss. He couldn't really describe what the kiss made him feel like, all he could describe was feelings he had never felt before for a woman at least not at the intensity of feelings that her kiss provoked within him.

--- Ann's POV ---

Harry.

That one word that went through her mind stopped her instantly, grabbing her bag she left quickly leaving, she ran to a bathroom got changed into her suit then managed to sneak to a window where she jumped from, near the bottom Bruce noticed Araneae swinging past the building, Araneae also noticed him.

She was just swinging around when she noticed well heard shouts coming from within a bank, landing on the wall she entered the bank and watched from its ceiling what was happening it was then that she noticed people with guns.

About to intervene she prepared herself for what was to happen when a woman stood up from the floor where they were told to drop to "If you stop now you won't get a worse sentence than you will if you do something stupid."

Taking the distraction Araneae landed behind one of the robbers and decided to mention "Personally I think robbing a bank is already doing something stupid, but that's my opinion." The man swung around she ducked and hit him across the room where he was knocked unconscious. Smiling under the mask Araneae turned gripping a gun with her web then flinging it outside where sirens could now be heard.

The four robbers where quickly out of action and the cops entered the bank pointing their guns at Araneae who just raised her arms "You know this is like stabbing someone in the back, I help these people and you want to lock me up." Under the mask her eyes found a way to get out but to the police she was standing completely still and being cooperative.

However before she could even move to leave the woman who had become the distraction stood in front of her "I know this woman is a vigilante but if she hadn't come you would never have gotten here in time."

One of the police stepped forward speaking directly to the woman "Miss Dawes…"

Miss Dawes looked at the officer "I will not repeat myself."

Walking past them Araneae bowed imitating one of her favourite movie characters "You'll always remember this day as the day you almost caught Araneae the spider of Gotham." With that she left having a bit more grace than her favourite character once she had said that line. Arriving home she instantly started to research Miss Dawes and found out she was an old friend of Bruce Wayne's and her first name was Rachel.

Reading further into her and Bruce Wayne's friendship she found they had been a thing not long before Bruce left Gotham, jealousy sparked within Ann, she hated the feeling especially since she personally thought she shouldn't feel like that for anyone except Harry.

--- Bruce POV ---

Bruce heard about the bank robbery and Rachel sticking up for Araneae who left after saying "You'll always remember this day as the day you almost caught Araneae the spider of Gotham." He knew she said this because a reporter was in the bank at the time and that sentence was printed in the papers which came out early because of the big news.

Well he knew one thing about Araneae, she liked Pirates of the Caribbean.

At home he sat down at a window just watching the sky thinking about all that happened that day, things were said and things happened that Bruce would always remember. He turned away looking at a photo of him and Rachel when they were kids. This time however Rachel did not plague his thoughts after looking at the picture, Ann and Araneae plagued his thoughts. It was a wonder to how he would react if he knew both where the same person.

--- Both POV ---

At the exact same time Bruce and Ann looked out their windows at the setting sun and said "Another day gone by a new night comes." Well Ann said that exactly Bruce said something very close to it, if I said he said it exactly like that it may make him seem less of a man and we all know he is all man.


	5. Guest Appearence Part 1

Araneae went first to the narrows thinking someone should go down there more often. By the time she had left the narrows it was nearly time to go home.

On her way home she saw a burning building and a woman screaming to get back in "My Baby!"

--- Araneae's POV ---

I swung down to the house not thinking for a split second that this could be the end of me, there was a kid in the house that had their whole life ahead of them while I had lived a life that if I died I could say 'I lived.'

Landing on the floor I walked carefully across the floor making sure I didn't step on a piece of floor that would give away, "If anyone is in here please help me find you?"

I heard a baby's cry coming from a room ahead, the problem was the corridor before the room was up in flames, not thinking I ran and jumped through the flames but nearly ended up falling through the floor on the other side due to it giving away when I landed on it. Getting up I put out the flames on me that had already burnt me.

Walking carefully into the room I was about to pick up the baby when I noticed my blood on my hands, if I touched a baby that small with my blood it may never wake up. Coughing I tried to find something to take the baby out of there when a plank of wood from the beaming above landed on my back.

--- Batman ---

Bruce was nearly ready to go home when he saw the burning building he approached to hear a woman say to a fireman "Araneae hasn't come out, you don't think she died in there trying to save my baby do you?"

Bruce landed on the ground and a policeman was about to arrest him when the fireman said "He can help the baby and Araneae, I mean the woman went in there even though she obviously knew the possibility of not getting out." The policemen nodded.

He would have just gone in without their permission but it was a nice feeling. He went though the house with more ease than Araneae but when he reached the same dilemma as her he found a weak point in a wall and knocked it down being careful the whole time as that could have done more damage than helping him.

He found the room and saw the beam before he saw Araneae under it her suit on flames slightly, he lifted it and moved it off her. He checked to see if she was breathing after putting out the flames, picking her up he turned to the baby picking it up as well, going to the window he had problems with both the baby and Araneae "Save the kid, don't worry about me."

He didn't bother looking at her when he answered her "I'm saving you both."

--- Araneae ---

She rolled off him using all her strength and kicked him out of the window giving him no options as to taking her with him, she got up with the help of the wall and looked out to see if he had made it safely. She coughed, gripping her ribs, she gasped in pain when she put pressure on her right leg "Shit." When she had landed on the floor before it had hurt but not this much, it was lucky she had kicked with her left leg otherwise she would have caused herself more damage.

She checked her arms to make sure they weren't hurt, thankfully they weren't so she aimed her arm letting her web go, gripping it with the other she swung out of the building just as the room she was in collapsed. Unbearable pain from her ribs caused her to smack into a wall causing her even more pain, she had to get home but the pain was too much so she let herself drop not thinking that she would be caught, she blacked out from the pain just as Batman caught her.

--- Batman ---

He landed safely, not quite believing that Araneae had just kicked him out of the building, he handed the child to the mother who thanked him but was also concerned for Araneae. When he saw the web he followed her already predicting that she would end up falling.

When she hit the wall he heard a slight crunch and saw her try to hold on with all her strength but then he saw something he hadn't expected from her, she gave up and just let go not worried in the slightest if she landed on the floor, which would ultimately kill her. He caught her easily and noticed that apart of her mask was burnt showing the skin below, a medic came forward but Bruce knew that she would not want her identity known so he was about to get his Tumbler when a man in blue and red landed in front of him.

--- Guest Appearance ---

It had been a long time since he had heard from her so he decided to go to her, it was night when he arrived and he decided to help Gotham for the day.

It wasn't until he saw a house on fire that he thought maybe she was there, he then saw her in the arms of the new guy Batman, he landed "I'll take her home."

"How do I know you're really Spiderman?"

Peter rolled his eyes "Look I know who she is and I know where she lives, I know someone who can give her the care she needs." Reluctantly Batman handed her over. Peter looked down at her "Araneae, you said you'd be careful for him." Then he was gone but not before he noticed the look in Batman's eyes.

--- Batman ---

He left just after Spiderman had not quite believing he had met the guy but his mind was trying to work out the new piece of information 'Araneae, you said you'd be careful for him.' Which meant she had promised someone she would take care of herself, meaning she had either left them or they had died and that was his dying wish.

He didn't know it but if he thought about it without thinking too much into it Ann's name would instantly enter his mind.

--- Peter ---

Peter arrived at her house to find two people waiting outside, MJ and Joan. Instantly Joan took her into her arms. Inside Joan got to work having been a medic in the jail, she treated her and both he and MJ helped where they could. Peter explained what he saw and MJ smiled "At least someone's looking out for her."

"I don't think Batman is the person who should be looking out for her."

MJ frowned "Why not Peter, he saved her?"

"You should have seen the look in his eyes when I took her from him."

MJ stood next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder "What look?"

"He likes her and is dare I say it slightly possessive of her." Peter looked down at his friend who he had dated at one point "Harry wouldn't…"

MJ forced him to look at her "Peter, Harry would be happy someone is looking out for her and that someone cares enough to help her. Also he wanted her to find love again."

"They are not in love."

MJ nodded "Maybe not but one day they could be, situations like they put themselves in can make people fall in love a lot quicker than normal." She smiled "I fell in love with you really quick, or don't you remember?"

"If she ends up with him, she'll have more trouble on her hands."

MJ watched Ann who Peter was watching also "She can handle herself."

He gestured to Ann who lay in bandages and had a cast around her leg and Joan decided to say then before Peter could "This was bound to happen one day lad." Smiling motherly at the girl she stroked her hair out of her face "She's just lucky she didn't brake a rib and only broke her leg, it could have been much worse."

"We going to phone her work tomorrow?"

MJ and Joan looked at Peter but it was Ann who answered "I am going to work tomorrow." Sitting up slowly she winced, apart from the wince she didn't show on her face the pain she was going through.

"You are not going to work young lady." Ann looked at her leg, glaring at it "You need to have a days rest before going back and maybe then we will have a logical reason as to why you are hurt."

Ann rolled her eyes and MJ seeing this instantly said "Hey she is only trying to help."

Ann locked her eyes with MJ's and said in a voice none of them had heard her use "I didn't ask for any help." Joan passed her some crutches "You just decided to help me."

Using the clutches she made her way to her downstairs computer only wincing now and then "At least let us come with you tomorrow to explain your injury."

Ann pivoted around with the help of her crutches "If you want, do come, you know why I haven't talked to any of you since I left?" They didn't say anything so she took this as a no "No, well its because I did not want any reminders of New York and I wanted to move on with my life." Gesturing to Peter she said "I didn't want to remember our little thing that we had." MJ glared at her, she gestured to Joan "I did not want to remember my time in the jail more than I do." She then gestured to MJ "I most definitely don't want to remember the day Harry died."

"So moving on is getting close to Batman?"

Ann glared "Harry told me to find love, and who cares if it ends up being with the Bat."

She was about to return to her computer when she went to the bathroom instead, inside she took off the bandages having not bothered to close the door Joan watched her, Peter and MJ also saw her doing this. She left the ones on her ribs knowing that they needed them.

Where the burns once lay now lay scarred skin but healed completely "Seems like you heal fast."

She gently traced the scars that would forever scar her once unblemished body, a tear trailed down her face but luckily it was on the side of her face that they could not see "Maybe I will never find love." She looked in the mirror at her now blemished body looking at each scar, the one that scarred her upper arm, the one on her back that went over her ribs, she could tell this due to it not ending before it reached the bandages.

When she looked at her face she saw a small burn that went over her eyebrow that also could be mistaken as a cut it was that small. It went over her eyebrow and ended just under her right eye. Thankfully it didn't get into her eye otherwise she could have ended up blind in her right eye.

MJ spoke clearly trying to tell Ann that she did still have a chance at love "Scars don't make you what you are, it's the person you are."

Ann looked at MJ "The news will read Araneae was injured in a fire when she tried to save a kid, she was then saved by Batman who also saved the kid." Gesturing to her scars which she was not happy about "If they are clever they will know when I got the scars and broken leg and add all the pieces together." Walking to the stairs with her crutches she sincerely thanked them even if she didn't really want it "Thank you."

Upstairs she sat on her bed looking out the window at the full moon the tears now freely falling and memories entered her mind when her life wasn't like it was now…

--- Flashback ---

She ignored the shouts of her boss and quickly made her way to the hospital where they said she would have to wait to see him. Hours passed and she was finally able to see him when she entered the room he hid one side of his face "Harry look at me."

When he didn't she went up to him and turned his face so he would look at her a gasp broke past her lips "I look hideous right." He laughed "Pete finally found a way to make sure you would be repulsed by me and by the looks of it… it worked."

She shook her head and kissed his lips shocking him, then her fingers traced his scarred face with only love and care "You're still my handsome Harry and no matter what, I love you and always will." She laughed lightly "How many times do I have to tell you this?"

A true smile appeared on his face and he brought her lips to his in a passionate kiss "I love you, you know that right. Oh and you're the best girl a man could wish for."

--- End of Flashback ---

"I only hope someone will show me the same amount of love I showed you Harry." The tears kept coming and when she finally fell asleep her pillow was soaked with her tears.

--- Bruce ---

He arrived home worrying about Araneae, Alfred noticed this and asked him "Master Wayne is everything okay?"

"Araneae nearly died tonight Alfred." He looked at his friend "She went into a burning building trying to save a baby, a beam fell on her, it was lucky that I arrived otherwise she and the baby would have died." His voice was thick with emotions that he was trying so hard to ignore "I got the beam off her and was going to jump out of the window with her and the baby, she knocked herself off me then kicked me out to safety, probably knowing that the chances of me saving them both holding her and the baby where low." He paused the images flashing in front of his eyes "Alfred, she managed to swing out but her injuries where too much, she just gave up letting go… I caught her."

"Where is she now Master Wayne?" Alfred was also concerned about Araneae as with her out there, it helped both Bruce and Gotham and he knew that Bruce wasn't alone.

"Spiderman came along and took her home to someone who could attend to her wounds."

Alfred could hear the frustration in Bruce's voice so he tried to calm him "It was to save her identity Master Wayne surely you can appreciate that?" Bruce nodded a small smile entering his features "If he said he had someone who could take care of her then it will be correct."

Bruce stood placing a hand on Alfred's shoulder "You always know what to say Alfred, what would I do without you?"

Alfred smiled "Probably hire a new butler."

Bruce laughed slightly "No one could replace you Alfred." He went to go upstairs but turned at the last second "I really do appreciate your wisdom Alfred." He then went to his room showering to get the smoke smell off him that just kept bringing the memory to the forefront of his mind. Lying in bed he looked outside at the full moon not knowing at the exact same moment Ann was too looking at its beauty. Soon he fell into a restless sleep his dreams plagued with things that could have happened if he had not made it in time.


	6. Guest Appearence Part 2

Ann was not happy when she woke up, her whole body was aching. However she noticed something when she stood, her leg hurt but not as much as a broken leg should hurt.

She looked at the crutches and decided she didn't need them, who cares if she had a limp.

While showering the images of the night before flashed to the front of her mind, she got out of the shower, the steam almost making her look angelic, if it wasn't for the scars she would have looked angelic but instead she looked more… like a hardened human being.

She didn't dare to look in the mirror, instead she covered it. Any mirror she found on her way downstairs after getting changed she covered. All three of her guests noticed this.

"Ann we where thinking we could join you to work today."

Ann glanced at Peter but otherwise just did her normal day activities, while making breakfast it was then that someone noticed the lack of crutches, "Where are your crutches girl?"

"Didn't need them."

Her answer was simple and they all watched to see if this was indeed true, when her face didn't show anything they looked in her eyes knowing that would be the one place they could see if she was lying or not. She was telling the truth.

She did her hair after eating breakfast, tying it up but leaving apart of her hair covering her face where the scar lay. If they noticed they didn't mention it.

They followed her out into her garage, inside lay two cars and a covered motorbike.

Peter motioned to the bike and after a sign from Ann uncovered it, revealing a bike that none of them had seen before. It looked very much like a Harley Davidson, however when Peter looked he noticed that it could go a lot faster than a Harley.

It was the design that they looked at the most however.

The bike was black with midnight coloured seats, when looked at closer you could see the whole of the bike had a layer of web on it, some parts where made for it to be seen but others you couldn't tell unless you really looked.

"You plan on using it?"

Ann smiled ever so slightly that morning, "It will get me places faster, if I need to be somewhere faster that is." She covered it back up but not before tracing it lovingly.

She motioned to the Fiat Punto which was also Black with Midnight coloured seats, they got in and it was then Peter voiced his opinion, "You sure do like black and midnight blue."

Ann laughed ever so slightly, but this laugh did not show any inclining of happiness. Instead it just sounded… Hollow.

Arriving at work, she signed all her friends in. She still classed them as friends because she couldn't think of anything else to call them.

She knew they where only trying to help her but she rather just help herself.

In the lift she got more odd looks than she had before, "Someone die?"

She ignored the git who decided to voice his opinion on her choice of clothing. She wore completely black clothing, a black blouse that covered all her scars still showed skin. She also wore a black skirt that went to just above her knees, underneath she wore black tights. To complete the look she wore some black sunglasses that covered her eyes.

She did this because she knew everyone would notice the difference in her eyes, she knew her eyes showed everything she was feeling.

"Young man you should be ashamed of yourself joking about such things."

Ann smiled ever so slightly when the guy paled, Joan was definitely good at making me people feel guilty. Walking to her office, she opened the door and motioned for them all to sit down.

"You know the man in the elevator was kind of right deary, you are wearing too much black."

Ann turned to Joan after finishing typing something into her computer, "I don't really care." With that she got back to work, thankfully having only one appointment that day which went by really easily.

The only problem was the odd stares the person gave her, when she was leaving Ann shouted to her, "Don't stare at people, its rude." Her three friends re-entered the office, "Dinner?"

They nodded and she took them to a nice little restaurant that most people from Wayne Enterprises went to dinner.

While sat there waiting for their orders, MJ, Peter and Joan talked about Gotham, Ann telling them things now and then. Her eyes quickly found Rachel Dawes sat not too far from them and the jealousy sparked in her again.

She thanked herself for wearing sunglasses no one knew she was looking at them, which meant she could watch Rachel without her noticing much.

Then Bruce entered, he saw Rachel and went and sat with her smiling a smile Ann wished was for her. She got up intending to go to the toilets, her leg was beginning to really hurt but she didn't show it. On her way there a man who was in a rush knocked her sending her to the floor.

When he tried to leave MJ and Joan stopped him giving him a speech on how he should have helped Ann.

Peter quickly went to her and noticed instantly went she stood the pain that crossed her face, he looked at her leg then up at her face, "How long has it been hurting for?"

Ann ignored him, but noticed everyone was looking at the scene her anger rose, "Why don't you take a picture it will last longer." When Peter tried to help her walk she practically pushed him into a table, "Don't." He tried again and she pushed him knocking him to the floor.

MJ instantly came over, helping Peter up at she asked, "What is your problem? We're trying to help you."

Rachel came over with Bruce not that far behind, "Is everything alright here? I saw that man knock you over, but that doesn't mean you should take it out on your friends."

Seeing Bruce stood next to Rachel made Ann's anger rise more than her words had, she saw Joan shaking her head in a disappointed manner, "Stop butting into things you have no clue about okay Miss Dawes because it makes you look like an attention seeking whore." She walked out of the place her leg burning, the pain was getting too much but that didn't stop her.

She felt them following her more than saw, Peter, MJ and Bruce. Apparently Joan stayed behind to apologise to Rachel for her actions.

Feeling them getting close, Ann did something that she would later see as a stupid idiotic idea. She started crossing a very busy road. Horns started going off all around her, MJ and Peter began shouting her name which she cursed, since Bruce would instantly figure out who she was.

She crossed safely to the other side and before her leg decided to give out she stepped inside a hair salon. Everyone turned to her, looking at the hair styles on the posters around the room she decided it was time for a change.

Sitting down, she told the hair dresser exactly what she wanted doing.

Her long hair became short, a red that stood out but the front parts of her hair was green a colour she all of a sudden wanted.

Limping out of the hair salon she was thankful they hadn't managed to find her, next stop was a tattoo parlour.

On her right arm where the scar lay she had a web tattoo put, the scarring underneath made it stand out but also made the scar stand out, for some reason within the web in its centre she had a tattoo of the Bats symbol done, black but with a silver lining to make it stand out on the web. She insisted on the man wearing thicker gloves knowing exactly what her blood would do if it got on him.

Once done there she found herself in clothe shops.

She was sick of being everything everyone else wanted, she was now becoming more of who she was. The pain in her leg she ignored, she tried on dresses that fit her frame perfectly also showing the tattoo, she bought many dresses like the one she tried on then she bought many skirts, tank tops and jeans. A lot for some odd reason ended up being leather.

She arrived home in her car with all the things she had bought, entering in her new clothes she told the guy she had paid to put all the bags in her room. He did this and she paid him once he was done.

"Ann?"

Ann turned around to come face to face with Peter but behind him she saw none other than Bruce Wayne and MJ who was actually stood next to Peter.

Peter's eyes went from the hair to the tattoo to the very revealing clothing, "What's got into you?"

Ann bit her lip pretending to think, "I don't know." It was obvious she was being sarcastic, "Maybe I just decided to be… me."

"You didn't have to act so stupid and why in gods name did you…" Joan had made her appearance and upon seeing her new look cursed, "For gods sake kid I thought you had more class than this."

Ann looked down at herself then looked at Joan, "Well I can finally look in the mirror."

She saw the confusion in Bruce's eyes but what stood out more was the anger in his eyes.

"Can I talk to Ann for a minute?"

Peter frowned which Ann knew meant he did not trust Bruce but nevertheless they all left the two alone.

--- Bruce's POV ---

Bruce was angered by the woman who had called Rachel an whore and when he found out it was Ann he was shocked. He thought she was completely crazy when she walked straight into traffic but his eyes went straight to her limp thinking it a bit odd.

Peter, MJ and Joan let him come back with them to her house where they told him why she was limping, apparently they went out the night before and she had hurt her leg, nearly breaking it but not enough to make her walk with crutches all the time.

When he saw her new look, he was yet again shocked and his anger at her words to Rachel reared straight back up, her hair on any other person would look stupid yet she pulled it off. If he wasn't so angry he would say her new look suited her. The tattoo voiced her true opinion on Araneae and Batman, she supported them both if at any other time she had got it he would have asked about it.

"Why?"

She raised an eyebrow but did not answer which made his anger get the better of him, he slammed her against the wall, "WHY?"

"I only called her a an attention seeking whore."

Her blatant bored attitude was getting him riled up, "Don't ever call Rachel that, you don't even know her and you know what, you will never be like her."

--- Ann's POV ---

It hurt to hear him say that, I know I deserved it in some way but right at that moment I didn't think I did.

I pushed him away, rubbing my arms where he had gripped them tight, my hand consciously rubbed at my scar which drew his eyes to it, "I think you should leave Bruce."

"Mr Wayne." My heart felt like it was torn into pieces.

To think only a few days had passed and now it was if the whole world was ending, I stopped the tears from being shown and said with a steely tone, "Get out Mr Wayne."

He left and before anyone could ask me if I was alright or give me a lecture I was out the back door and at my pond in minutes. By the time I reached the pond I collapsed in both physical and metaphorical pain. My leg gave way and my face met the ground rather quickly, I pulled myself into a sitting position my eyes looking at my reflection.

I truly felt my appearance was that of the true Ann Johnson but was the attitude? Tears flowed freely down my face, not once did I try to stop them. They only stopped when I couldn't cry no more.

--- Ann's POV ---

Ann sat there for hours until the sun set, when it had she got up her leg cramping nearly caused her to fall back to the ground. She ignored her friends and went out into the city as Araneae.

--- Bruce's POV ---

When he arrived home his anger almost completely vanished, he couldn't believe how different Ann was that day.

What ever really happened the night before to Ann had changed her, he saw it in her eyes and her new appearance and her comment "Well I can finally look in the mirror." Made him believe that something happened that was a lot worse than a mere accident.

His mind flashed back to what happened at her house and he felt guilt and shame fill him, he had slammed her against a wall when she was already in pain. When he told her to call him Mr Wayne he regretted it almost instantly.

Yes he was angry but not angry enough to break the friendship that was forming between the two.

She never spoke of having a scar on her arm and from the looks of it, it had looked quite new almost like a burn. But he knew she couldn't be Araneae as the wounds would not have healed so fast or at least he thought they wouldn't.

The Bat.

He felt odd about her having a tattoo with a web then the bat Symbol over it. Especially since in some ways she was kind of saying that Araneae and Batman where alike.

Thinking about Ann again after a shower made him feel the guilt of making her call him Mr Wayne and more than likely ending their friendship, however when she had called him Mr Wayne it had hurt. Somewhere in him he wanted her to still call him Bruce, to tell him that she would never stop calling him Bruce, so when she didn't it hurt.

Alfred was right that she would have been the right person to be with, when she had kissed him he had thought it wasn't a bad idea at all pursuing a relationship with Ann but now there was even less of a chance of that happening.

When he had saw the scar he hadn't thought any less of her and still saw her as a beautiful woman, however when he saw the scar above her eye he knew she hadn't had the day before he began thinking more, it looked like a new scar but it looked like a scar that was maybe a week old not a day. So what was Ann doing or what had happened to her to make her get a scar that looked only a week old when she hadn't had it the day before.

While he was getting ready to go out into Gotham as Batman all he could think about was Ann but when he looked into the night sky he wondered if Araneae was alright.


	7. The New Ann?

Araneae's anger showed, thugs got beaten; rapists got beaten nearly to death and others where lucky as they didn't even get a scratch.

She was leaving a trail though so it didn't really surprise her when she heard his husky voice, "What's changed?"

"You asking why there are criminals that are nearly dead or the ones that just have a few injuries?"

Before Araneae knew he was there, not even her spidey senses could have helped her since she was so distracted, he had grabbed her and turned her around, "You help people, you don't hurt them."

"You really think?" Araneae got out of his hold then went to the edge of the building, "At least I'm helping people and the gits won't think twice about hurting people again." She dived off the building not letting her web attach itself to a building until she almost hit the ground.

--- Bat's POV ---

Bruce at first thought there was fights between the criminals but it was soon very obvious what was going on, in the shadows of a fire escape Batman listened to the police officer asking the victim/criminal what happened.

It's a funny day when the criminal admits what he did instantly, "I was about to rape this hot chick when that Spider Girl, raneae or whatever she goes by started beating me to a pulp, she didn't even give me a chance to defend myself."

That was all he needed to hear, it was a few blocks away that he was seeing a pattern and it happened to be a trail in the direction Araneae had gone.

Sure enough at the end of the trail of broken and beaten criminals was Araneae stood looking over the city, "What's changed?"

It wasn't her answer that irked him but how she could say so nonchalantly, "You asking why there are criminals that are nearly dead or the ones that just have a few injuries?"

It was if she was proud in some way of what she had done, he was tempted to say it wasn't their decision to hurt people or even kill them but instead he grabbed her and turned her around, "You help people, you don't hurt them."

"You really think?" Araneae got out of his hold then went to the edge of the building, "At least I'm helping people and the gits won't think twice about hurting people again." She dived off the building and Batman watched her and he thought she was stupid not letting her web attach itself to a building until she almost hit the ground.

He helped the city that night and did not like the amount of criminals he found beaten up or criminals with broken limbs, yes when it is necessary hurt them but what she was doing was just for fun.

When he had got home he couldn't help but think that Araneae had changed, she wasn't completely like him at all, there was a true darkness inside of her. He was however thinking over what he had heard at Gordon's office and what happened afterwards.

--- Araneae POV ---

The thrill of the chase was something Araneae had missed when she had chased down her dad for killing her mother, now she was chasing someone who happened to get away. She grabbed him with her web then flung him backwards making him hit the wall behind her, she smiled when she heard him scream.

Turning around she bent down to the man, "Even think of raping someone again and I will kill you, got it?" However she didn't hear his answer of yes he got it, she had a sudden realisation on what she had been doing that night and the fact she had meant her words then scared her.

She felt a sudden urge to find someone and curl up in their arms and ask for guidance but it wasn't going to happen.

She didn't have a mother to do this with, nor a father and she sure as hell wasn't going to go to Peter, Joan or MJ. They would say they told her so.

Gordon?

Not quite the hugging sort but he did give good advice. Well when she was Ann he did.

She arrived in his window, seeing him no where in his office she was about to take a seat in his chair to wait for him when the door began to open. A young lad entered and placed some files on his desk, walking out he never noticed the masked vigilante on the ceiling who was cursing at the fact she was not only hurting people but she was also getting sloppy.

--- Gordon POV ---

Lieutenant Jim Gordon was tired when he entered his office, he could not believe the amount of calls made in that night about one of Gotham's vigilantes.

He sat at his desk and read the papers on it, Araneae seemed to pop in a lot of the written confessions to crimes, not because she caught them but the damage she caused to them. It was hard to think that only the previous night she was saving a baby from a burning building.

"I guess this wouldn't be a good time to ask for advice then?"

She shocked him but he tried not to show it, he turned and sure enough in the top corner of his office was sat Araneae, well sat upside down, "You're asking me for advice?"

"I hurt people tonight, letting my personal anger fuel me which caused me to hurt people and mean the threats I said. I am sorry for what I did but at the same time I am not."

Gordon sighed pinching his nose, "I should be arresting you."

She dropped to the floor and held out her arms to him, "I'm not stopping you Gordon."

He looked up when she said his name, it was obvious she knew him but still to have two vigilantes coming to him was a bit much, "I'm not going to arrest you, I should but I won't."

"Why?" If he wasn't married he would have said the little cock of her head was cute and the true confusion in her voice made her sound more innocent than she was.

"Gotham needs people like you and Batman, you slipped up one night, I hope you don't do it again because next time I may just arrest you."

He could practically feel her eyes scrutinising him from under her mask which he noted was different, it covered her whole head instead of showing hair, "You're giving me a chance?" When he nodded she sighed, "If I was you…"

"But you're not." He stood looking down slightly at Araneae who needed advice and obviously seemed to have no one else to get it from, "You asked me for advice and I will give it you, learn to control your emotions and don't let them control you. Otherwise next time we meet, you may have done exactly what you did tonight and I would have to arrest you."

She held out her hand which confused him immensely, but he took it and she shook it, "Thanks Gordon." With that she turned around and jumped out of the window over the fire escape, running to the window he saw her swinging away.

It was then he realised Araneae wasn't as injured as others would expect.

"Any time Araneae."

--- Batman POV ---

Bruce had arrived at Gordon's office and was about to drop him in some information on the mob when he heard Araneae's voice, ""I guess this wouldn't be a good time to ask for advice then?" He pressed himself against the wall listening in on the conversation inside the building.

"You're asking me for advice?" Bruce could hear the slight shock in Gordon's voice, he was obviously not expecting to get visits off both vigilantes.

"I hurt people tonight, letting my personal anger fuel me which caused me to hurt people and mean the threats I said. I am sorry for what I did but at the same time I am not." For some reason Ann popped into his head when Araneae said this, if… if Araneae was Ann then her anger may have been his fault but at the same time how could it have been Araneae.

His brain instantly began putting things together but he personally thought he didn't have enough to prove to himself that Ann was Araneae.

"I should be arresting you." Bruce went closer to the window and watched what was happening inside.

She dropped to the floor and held out her arms to Gordon, "I'm not stopping you Gordon."

"I'm not going to arrest you, I should but I won't." When Bruce heard Gordon say that he was relieved, not only because Araneae was helping not only Gotham but him as well, but because she genuinely needed to be given a chance by someone.

"Why?" Bruce was not married so when he saw her cock her head to the side he found it cute and endearing, however the hand that she placed on her hip drew his eyes to that part of her body, his thoughts began to think to when he had somewhat felt her body against his.

Bruce didn't really hear what Gordon next said, "Gotham needs people like you and Batman, you slipped up one night, I hope you don't do it again because next time I may just arrest you." But it did register in the back of his head that Gordon was indeed giving Araneae a chance.

When she spoke his eyes where drawn away from looking at every aspect of her body he could see and where drawn to her head where he noticed the mask had changed it now covered her hair as well, which was clever since someone could try and figure out who she was by her hair, especially if they found the root of the hair, ""You're giving me a chance?" When he nodded she sighed, "If I was you…"

'I would have arrested me the minute I spoke.' He felt like that was what she was going to say or at least something along those lines since her voice practically was laced with, guilt and… if he thought about it, her voice was also laced with sadness.

Then Gordon spoke, well he actually interrupted her sentence before she could say 'If I was you…' "But you're not." He stood looking down slightly at Araneae who needed advice from Gordon, "You asked me for advice and I will give it you, learn to control your emotions and don't let them control you. Otherwise next time we meet, you may have done exactly what you did tonight and I would have to arrest you."

Bruce couldn't help but think if Araneae knew how to contact Batman would she have gone to him for advice instead of Gordon?

When she held out her hand to Gordon, Bruce couldn't help but think of kids who ask their parents for advice and want some kind of contact with them, "Thanks Gordon." With that she turned around and jumped out of the window over the fire escape, Bruce smiled ever so slightly but again noticed that Araneae wasn't as hurt as she was the previous night.

"Any time Araneae."

After Gordon had turned around, Bruce waited a few minutes before making his presence known, "I have some information on the mob."

Gordon jumped, turning to him he said, "I think two visits from Gotham's vigilantes in one night is enough." Bruce smiled ever so slightly but Gordon did not notice, "You mentioned information on the mob?" Bruce passed it him and before Gordon could ask about it he was out of the window going in the direction Araneae had gone.

He found it odd that he found her on the building she was on earlier in the night, "If you need advice you don't need to go to Gordon."

"Exactly how am I meant to come to you for advice when I don't know how to get in contact with you?" She turned to him, her hands on her hips once again.

He stepped forward and he could practically feel her eyes on his every movement, "We'll have to come up with a way to contact each other." The way she had said her previous comment made him think she had wanted to go to him for advice.

Araneae stepped forward, they where now centimetres apart and Bruce could feel the heat of her body even with the suit on, "We'd only contact each other for help?" She stepped closer so their bodies where touching, it felt like a fire was spreading through his body, his hands raised up to her face and rolled up her mask to her nose.

A smile was on her lips and before he could she kissed him, it was a very heated kiss and he certainly kissed her back with as much vigour. His hands traced the outline of her body which was pressed again his, when his tongue traced her lips she almost immediately gave it entrance. A moan escaped her lips and Bruce couldn't help but love the sound, he wanted to hear it again but the kiss ended. Much too soon in his opinion mind you.

She licked her lips, then a smile lit up the part of her face he could see, "Wow." There she showed her innocence again, underneath the mask the person was innocent in some ways. "I hate to say this Batman but I have to go." She placed a light kiss on his lips, "I'll think of a way I can contact you if you do the same." He nodded then she was gone.

--- Later That Night ---

When Bruce thought back on the kiss he couldn't help but think that the kiss was similar to the kiss he had with Ann, but then Araneae had not run away like Ann had or at least she didn't act like Ann had.

--- Ann's POV ---

Ann took off the mask and made some alterations, her nose was still hidden but her chin and mouth could now be seen, _Batman sure knows how to kiss…_ She sighed dreamily and didn't notice Peter and MJ watching her from her doorway.

She smiled, "Batman definitely more man than bat."

--- Peter POV ---

After hearing Ann say that, he went to their room and sighed, "MJ…"

"Don't Peter, Batman is a good man and would be a good man for her."

Peter sighed again, "So you think they kissed?"

MJ smiled, "Didn't you see what she did to her mask, obviously she thought the mouth area was getting in the way."

Peter groaned, "I know Batman is a good man but I can't see her with anyone but Harry."

MJ kneeled down in front of Peter who was now sat on the bed, taking his hands she said to him, "Maybe that is why she stopped talking to us because not only does it make it harder for her to move on but she knows that you only ever will see her with Harry."

"I hate to say it, but I think you're right MJ." He stood and began packing their bags, "We should leave tomorrow, that way she can decide if she wants to stay in contact with us and she can move on with her life. But if I ever find out that Batman hurt her in any way I will come back."

MJ wrapped her arms around Peter, "I wouldn't expect anything else from you Peter, you're a good friend and she knows that."

"Then why is our friendship _deteriorating?_"

"It's not Peter, you're both just going through some rough patches with your friendship. Even if it does seem to end, it never really will because you both will know you have true friends within each other."

Peter turned around and kissed MJ, "Since when did you become so wise?"

"I always have been, its just took you awhile to figure it out."

--- Ann's POV ---

She lay down in bed but her mind would not let her sleep, for some reason the kiss also made her think of Bruce. If she ever wanted to be with him she would have to one day tell him that she had kissed Batman and has feelings for him, otherwise she would be lying to him daily.

Bruce…

A tear fell down her face.

"Mr Wayne." She had almost forgot the argument they had, her heart began to ache once again but instead of the reason being Harry it was Bruce, "I've ruined everything."

--- Bruce POV ---

After a shower to relieve the aches and pains in his muscles, Bruce went to bed and his mind went over what happened that day.

He had possibly lost his friendship with Ann.

He had kissed Araneae.

And somehow he was beginning to think both where the same person, even with the amount of things that said otherwise, he knew there was also a lot of things that when added together made complete sense.

Was Ann, Araneae? Will Bruce finally decide to find out if she is indeed Araneae? Will Ann try and mend the things she had done that day and night?


	8. The End?

Ann woke up that morning with a headache, she sighed realising crying was not a good thing for two reasons. The first it made a mess of any make-up you had on... two because it gave you a headache.

As she got changed she heard people moving about downstairs, she went downstairs slowly, her leg flaring up with pain. She looked at Joan, Peter and MJ who had packed their bags and by the looks of it were about to leave, sos he watched them for a moment before she got downstairs.

"Going?"

Peter looked up at her and she could tell he was still mad at her because of her behaviour the previous day, not that she could blame him...

_**Can't You?**_

Ann frowned at the voice in her mind... she really hoped she wasn't going crazy, especially since it would be really ironic.

"Yeah, but don't think you can't phone."

MJ nudged him slightly rolling her eyes, "What he means to say, when you're ready we'll be here. We realise it was wrong to come out of the blue like this."

"Though I saved her from Batman."

Ann's mouth quirked up slightly.

"Peter, you saved her identity from being found out, not from Batman."

Peter shrugged slightly, "Same thing in my head."

Ann laughed slightly, shocking everyone at the bottom of the stairs, "Nice to know you're looking out for me Pete... really." Her voice was sincere and she could tell that Peter heard the sincerity in her voice.

"Well young lady, look after yourself and get your arse down here so I can give you a hug... you look like you need one." Joan waited till she was closer before bringing Ann into a hug. "I mean it, look after yourself and take time off if you need it."

Ann nodded, she was beginning to think she did need time off. Even if it distanced herself from Bruce, though a part of her wanted that more than anything. He had hurt her once, she wasn't going to allow a second time to happen.

She hugged MJ and Peter then after goodbyes she watched them go. She closed the door thankful she had hid the pain that her leg was causing her. Knowing them they would have stayed until it was better. She blinked when the red hair fell into her face and blew it out of her face.

Going into work that day was hard... really hard. She had spotted Mr Wayne though thankful he had not spotted her, even with her new hair colour which was really drawing a lot of attention to her.

She reached her office ignoring some wolf whistles that instantly stopped when they saw who it was, some muttering about the tattoo. She closed her door and even locked it. She went to her desk glaring at all the papers, she really didn't need this today. However she sighed and got to work.

_**Go have some fun. Forget about the work, make your secretary do it.**_

Ann blinked raising a single eyebrow. _I have a secretary? Wait... _"I'm going crazy." She held her head in her hands.

_**Or have you simply opened up your mind more than your average human?**_

That really made no sense to Ann, really if that was the case why was she hearing a voice like her own but almost animal like... spider DNA. She cursed in the few languages she knew which was really just English and a few swear words in German and French.

She looked at her calendar to see what appointments she had that week... to find she had none. She had distinctively remembered having one that day but nope, she had none. She went outside and sure enough she had a secretary... "Hello?"

The woman looked up with a polite smile, "Hello, Miss Johnson what can I help you with today?"

Ann blinked several times... "Erm..." Damn since when did she not know what to say. "Actually I was wondering what happened to my appointments."

"They were sent to our new psychiatrist, whom I will be the secretary of and was hired for."

Ann paled... "New?" Also that explained her never having seen the woman in her life before this moment.

The secretary nodded a sympathetic smile on her face, "She will be starting sometime this week, when she arrives you will be given a three month pay in advance..."

Ann didn't hear the rest of the words, having said them many times herself. She went into her office locked the door again, she looked at the papers shoved them in the bins and lit them on fire. "So holiday... where to?"

_**Metropolis.**_

"Sounds more like work than a holiday but I'm up for it... may even get to meet the red blue blur." Okay so she was a fan of the blur, and had read about him but seriously... she would return to Gotham one day and maybe even then she would be better for it. She grabbed her things and walked out of the office to the wonderful sound of the fire alarm. When the sprinklers came on she wasn't at all bothered. She took the stairs like everyone else though was regretting it once down one flight. With people pushing it wasn't helping. She was half tempted to just jump down the gap in the middle, but that would ruin the whole mask thing when as Araneae.

She closed her eyes at the pain. What would her friends say? They had left that morning and by the time they were back in New York they would find out their friend was no longer in Gotham.

She sighed, ignoring the sounds of those going past her, some whispering about her staying there. Even accusing her... though they were rightly accusing her.

"Ann?"

She opened her eyes at the voice, "Good morning, Mr Wayne." Her voice was sickly sweet, as if nothing was bothering her but was at the same time. He glanced at her leg as if figuring out that was the cause for her pausing on the stairs when the alarms were going off.

She rolled her eyes and began walking down the stairs again, somehow ignoring the pain and getting further away from Bruce. Odd how pain can be _nearly,_ easily ignored when trying to avoid someone.

Damn, she hadn't expected it to hurt again but it did. Once out of the building unlike those waiting to go back in she headed straight for the car park and got into her car... blinking at the card on her windshield. She grabbed it off after winding her window down, then looked at it. It was a Joker. As in the Joker card from a deck of cards.

She shook her head placing it on the passenger seat. She drove off never noticing it fall of the seat and fall to the floor where it eventually ended up under the seat.

She would leave the end of the week after getting her pay. Though she wondered if she still would after the stunt she pulled. She actually ended up regretting the hair... well only because everyone who had seen it now knew it was her and could tell easily it was her.

Outside in her garden she soaked up the sun rays her eyes closed, she then heard someone cough on purpose... she looked to her right where Bruce was stood. "Why are you in my garden?"

"I wanted to talk to you, but you left work before I could."

Ann shrugged which wasn't really noticeable since she was lying down. "Then talk Mr Wayne."

He sighed, "Well first I want to know why you left work half way through the day? Then I want to know why you started the fire."

Ann blinked... only now realising he had no idea what had transpired. "I've been let go, was a bit angry that they didn't tell me when I came in this morning so I burnt the papers I had filled out."

Bruce faltered slightly when he heard that, he had believed it was just a temper tantrum, though it was she had her reasons though it wasn't really reason enough to endanger the lives of others. "What are you going to look into working as now?" He had decided he would rehire her once he had control over his family business again.

Ann slowly sat up rubbing her hands, "Seeing if there are any decent jobs in Metropolis." She looked at him, "Feel like I need a change of area for a time. May help me sort my thoughts out."

Bruce didn't like the turn of events, how was he expected to fix their friendship if she was leaving Gotham? "You really think that is best, leaving Gotham?"

Ann shrugged again though this time it was noticeable. "Not completely but hell it will be a nice holiday if I don't stay in Metropolis."

Bruce sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that morning, "If you do decide to stay there, will you let your friends here know?"

Ann looked at him closely... "Haven't got many friends here... actually probably only one I have is Gordon." She noticed him wince ever so slightly, "Why? Mr Wayne?"

"I thought it best that you let someone here know your plans if you do decide to stay there, that way if anyone tries to contact you, they will know where to send them."

His words sounded logical... "I'll tell Gordon, possibly even Mr Fox." Silence fell for a few moments so Ann decided to ask. "Anything else? Mr Wayne?"

He sighed slightly, "No. I hope you enjoy your time in Metropolis no matter how long that is."

Ann smiled slightly, realising he had wanted to say something else. "Oh, I will." She looked at the red roses next to water which was reflecting the blue sky. It was fitting. "Have to admit, will be nice if I meet the red blue blur."

Bruce looked where she was looking and frowned. "Don't you have to be in trouble for that to happen?"

Ann smirked. "Oh I can get in trouble easily... I mean trouble seems to follow me. I mean sometimes I cause it." She looked at Bruce. "Anyway I heard he's hot." She laughed at his facial expression, which practically read 'did you have to tell me that?' "Mr Wayne, really... wait you're not charging me are you? With the whole fire thing?"

Bruce frowned. "No as long as you do nothing like it again."

"Can't see that happening when I'm not going to set another foot in that building. Mr Wayne." Ann told him.

Bruce nodded. "Goodbye then Miss Johnson."

Ann smiled. "Goodbye. Mr Wayne." She watched him walk away. "Goodbye, Bruce." She ignored the lump in her throat and the tears stinging at the corner of her eyes. It was better this way. At least that is what she was trying to convince herself.

- Bruce's POV -

Now more than ever he regretted when he had told her to call him Mr Wayne and not Bruce anymore. He had talked to Alfred about their conversation. Just needing to talk about it more than anything. He had advised that he should go talk to her again, but the next day when he arrived at her home. No one answered and when he phoned the house number, it went instantly to answer machine. "Hey, this is Ann Johnson, sorry but I won't be coming back to this house... at least not for some time. If you need to reach me, phone..." From the sounds of the number it was a new mobile number. She obviously was really trying to start anew. So he didn't phone.

- Ann's POV -

Ann sighed as she looked around the restaurant she had stopped in, she had left early. Picking up her paycheck from work before going completely. She hadn't sold her home in Gotham, if anything it would be a nice place to visit now and again.

Hours later she was on the road again, heading to Metropolis. When she arrived she got a room in a hotel.

She looked out of the windows, at Metropolis. She turned around, walking to the roof. There she jumped off it. She heard some screams, the feeling of the air rushing around her as she fell was amazing, the screams only adding to it. At the last minute she let out her web, her feet nearly touching the ground.

She saw out of the corner of her a flash of light, and knew by the next day. Araneae would be in the Daily Planet. If not on the front page.


End file.
